A Message from Methods Machine Tools, Inc.

Methods Machine Tools, Inc., in operation for over 55 years, is a leading supplier of precision machine tools, 3D printing solutions, automation and accessories, providing extensive applications engineering support, installation, parts, service and training through a network of large state-of-the-art technology centers and dealers throughout North America.

Using Data to Do Better in Manufacturing
Although the Smart Manufacturing Experience 2018 event in Boston may not have provided a simple, clear definition of “smart manufacturing,” it did provide a broad experience of what smart manufacturing can be like.

Watchmaking: A Machinist’s View
Old-world craftsmanship combines with precision machining on a vertical machining center and Swiss-type lathe to produce some of the only U.S.-made mechanical wristwatch movements.

Automation Events Highlight Deburring
This tedious, costly and complex operation was one focus of two complementary, same-day events that covered virtually every aspect of industrial robotic automation.

A Stitch in Time—A New Core Retention Function for Wire EDM
When running a wire EDM such as the FANUC RoboCut C800iB, an automatic routine in the CNC program adds a "stitch" at a few strategically placed locations around the periphery of the core. By holding the cores in place until the entire job is finished, multi-workpiece cutting processes are able to run in an extended, unmanned mode.